Stellaris Dev Diary #340 - A New Crisis, A Release Date, and Announcing the Stellaris: Season 08

[Notme1]

How could the end of suffering be disagreeable?

Her purpose is to give.

She powers worker cooperatives of pre FTL civilizations so hard (+10 000% to throughput), that entire population has wealth level of 99

 

[GnoSIS]

The season pass is a horrible, horrible development.

And the way it is being marketed is very predatory. These games here, are not forthnight, and the target audience isn't compatible with such a seasonal pass mentality.

I can see how this one came down directly from Fredrik Wester, wanting PDX to be paid in advance for content that is not currently in production, 6 months in advance, having the customer to take on the entire risk, throwing in a FOMO portrait from aprils fools, and afterwards scale down the quality and production value to match the seasonal pass & pre-orders revenue! What a plan!

I may or may not buy it but I'm already looking for the exit from this "kickstarter" mentality - this is not for me. But that's not the point, the point is that in the future they will skew their pricing towards this model - or even stop doing individual dlcs at all. After all, they want to rent their games going forward, not sell them.

Welcome to the future of gaming Gentlemen.

 

[DreadLindwyrm]

The season pass is a horrible, horrible development.

And the way it is being marketed is very predatory. These games here, are not forthnight, and the target audience isn't compatible with such a seasonal pass mentality.

I can see how this one came down directly from Fredrik Wester, wanting PDX to be paid in advance for content that is not currently in production, 6 months in advance, having the customer to take on the entire risk, throwing in a FOMO portrait from aprils fools, and afterwards scale down the quality and production value to match the seasonal pass & pre-orders revenue! What a plan!

I may or may not buy it but I'm already looking for the exit from this "kickstarter" mentality - this is not for me. But that's not the point, the point is that in the future they will skew their pricing towards this model - or even stop doing individual dlcs at all. After all, they want to rent their games going forward, not sell them.

Welcome to the future of gaming Gentlemen.

Season passes work on other games.
And the season passes aren't "renting" the games either. The subscription model being a separate thing entirely *that was asked for* by people on the forums.


If you don't want to buy the season pass because you find you don't want one of the included DLC, then don't buy it. Buy the parts you want when they're released.

 

[Me_]

Where C6?

 

[Venefcus]

I see the fear of the season pass, and it’s valid. Paying upfront only to get a dud like astral planes would be a real feel bad moment.

I’m liking what I see with age of the machine, but plenty of people already question cosmic storms which could be fun or annoying or utterly pointless depending on its implementation. While I’m hoping for a good time, the buy now find out later aspect is irksome with your only consolations being a 20% discount and an extra portrait frame for the risk.

On the other hand if you were going to buy everything anyways, it’s actually a good deal which some people will jump at.

 

[Peepijeep]

I hope that the three old end crises will also get some updates. The three will look obsolete and outdated compared to the bew end crises.

I hope you will also be able to interact with the old end crises in some ways. Otherways everybody will deactivate the old end crises.

 

[SS Boss]

I hope the new season system is definitive, instead of just an experiment. I was expecting only with Stellaris 2 we would have a chapter/season system, but it coming with Stellaris right now is a very good development. Its a built-in roadmap, a better way to fund the game and players that buy everything can be done with their Stellaris DLC purchases for the rest of the year. I purchased it already.

I see the fear of the season pass, and it’s valid. Paying upfront only to get a dud like astral planes would be a real feel bad moment.

I’m liking what I see with age of the machine, but plenty of people already question cosmic storms which could be fun or annoying or utterly pointless depending on its implementation. While I’m hoping for a good time, the buy now find out later aspect is irksome with your only consolations being a 20% discount and an extra portrait frame for the risk.

On the other hand if you were going to buy everything anyways, it’s actually a good deal which some people will jump at.

You know theres an easy solution for that and its not buying the season pass.

 

[Sian]

I just hope that there's some sort of special diplomacy between Servitors and Synthetic Queen and some events between Ancient Caretakers and Synthetic Queen, since it seems like they'd be not opposed to be seen as three generations of having largely the same goals

 

[GnoSIS]

I see the fear of the season pass, and it’s valid. Paying upfront only to get a dud like astral planes would be a real feel bad moment.

I’m liking what I see with age of the machine, but plenty of people already question cosmic storms which could be fun or annoying or utterly pointless depending on its implementation. While I’m hoping for a good time, the buy now find out later aspect is irksome with your only consolations being a 20% discount and an extra portrait frame for the risk.

On the other hand if you were going to buy everything anyways, it’s actually a good deal which some people will jump at.

Exactly, and that's why I didn't buy Astral Planes.

The seasonal pass model changes the dynamics and the "product contract" between the customer and the developer.

You are either in or out, they have your money in advance, and they can do whatever they want with the preorders, including scaling down the quality of the development you paid, take whatever profit they want and even just walk away with an incomplete release. There is no longer accountability per DLC, no pick and choose from existing, released and tested products, while the customer takes on the entire risk.

The discount % is an illusion. If you belive this, then you also believe the "1000% extra value" pack ads in Gacha games. It's just an incentive mechanic for locking up the customer in a skinner box. This is and always was an Operant conditioning chamber.

Feel free to Strongly disagree, but if you do so, you must explain yourself.

 

[GnoSIS]

I hope the new season system is definitive, instead of just an experiment. I was expecting only with Stellaris 2 we would have a chapter/season system, but it coming with Stellaris right now is a very good development. Its a built-in roadmap, a better way to fund the game and players that buy everything can be done with their Stellaris DLC purchases for the rest of the year. I purchased it already.



You know theres an easy solution for that and its not buying the season pass.

I bet you serious money that that option will disapear or become way more difficult and expensive in the future.

 

[Kim the Mindcaster]

Will be this season pass thing available on gog?

 

[Anemetius]

I wish there was DLC focused on Fallen Empires... maybe allowing player to "replace" them...

 

[Eladrin]

There is no longer accountability per DLC, no pick and choose from existing, released and tested products, while the customer takes on the entire risk

The releases will still be available individually for those that prefer that method, and if the quality of Season 08 isn't enough to satisfy the playerbase, the accountability is still there - we wouldn't be able to sell a Season 09.

Cosmic Storms is feature complete (but not polished). The Grand Archive is in progress. We work on many tracks in parallel.

 

[DreadLindwyrm]

I bet you serious money that that option will disapear or become way more difficult and expensive in the future.

It hasn't disappeared or become way more difficult on CK3 where they've been using the season pass system since launch.
So I disagree with your opinion here.

Exactly, and that's why I didn't buy Astral Planes.

The seasonal pass model changes the dynamics and the "product contract" between the customer and the developer.

You are either in or out, they have your money in advance, and they can do whatever they want with the preorders, including scaling down the quality of the development you paid, take whatever profit they want and even just walk away with an incomplete release. There is no longer accountability per DLC, no pick and choose from existing, released and tested products, while the customer takes on the entire risk.

The discount % is an illusion. If you belive this, then you also believe the "1000% extra value" pack ads in Gacha games. It's just an incentive mechanic for locking up the customer in a skinner box. This is and always was an Operant conditioning chamber.

Feel free to Strongly disagree, but if you do so, you must explain yourself.

And as a counter point they know the remaining DLC in the pack are already funded, so they can commit to them properly because they know they have a minimum amount of buy in, and can budget that money accordingly, knowing that they've already got it. That allows them to potentially hire specific asset creation or expand the team with less risk.
And the discount isn't an illusion.
I buy them now, I get the discount. I wait until release and buy them individually at release I don't get the discount.
Even with gatcha games, when pack A is 100 tokens per £1 and pack B is 150 tokens per £1, *I still get a benefit from buying pack B* assuming I want the tokens. The only way this might be false is if pack A does not in fact exist, and only pack B is available and claims to be "+50% value".

 

[goldennick94]

How might an all-powerful being react to the directive to 'eliminate suffering?' Obviously, because this is Stellaris, our antagonist is going to take her answer way, way too far. What happens next is up to the player. Will you try to oppose her directly, or play the part of a loyal pupil?

Curious but what if we want to do more than just play the part? I don't know, this whole eliminate suffering thing sounds pretty nice. How much am I allowed to contribute? I've got some really pesky neighbors that have been bothering me with wars for the last 200 years, and I'd like to help eliminate their suffering.

 

[GnoSIS]

The releases will still be available individually for those that prefer that method, and if the quality of Season 08 isn't enough to satisfy the playerbase, the accountability is still there - we wouldn't be able to sell a Season 09.

Cosmic Storms is feature complete (but not polished). The Grand Archive is in progress. We work on many tracks in parallel.

Yes, for now, and for this pass, but your'e not sure about the future. This why I might buy it now.

You see, this is a change and a start towards a new model, and you can't possibly tell were this will end. Because this is decided by the people above you that you work for, who will never post or participate here, and want the flexibility to change the revenue model even more.

I somewhat trust you Eladrin, but as a consumer I can see where this will go.

 

[Darsara]

Where did you source the AI training data from? Did you hire a (human) VA to provide it? Did you purchase it is? What's the providence of it, if you did? Was it trained on a knowing, paid human, or assembled using scraped or otherwise unknowing data?

 

[GnoSIS]

It hasn't disappeared or become way more difficult on CK3 where they've been using the season pass system since launch.
So I disagree with your opinion here.



And as a counter point they know the remaining DLC in the pack are already funded, so they can commit to them properly because they know they have a minimum amount of buy in, and can budget that money accordingly, knowing that they've already got it. That allows them to potentially hire specific asset creation or expand the team with less risk.
And the discount isn't an illusion.
I buy them now, I get the discount. I wait until release and buy them individually at release I don't get the discount.
Even with gatcha games, when pack A is 100 tokens per £1 and pack B is 150 tokens per £1, *I still get a benefit from buying pack B* assuming I want the tokens. The only way this might be false is if pack A does not in fact exist, and only pack B is available and claims to be "+50% value".

I agree with some of your points. I'm being perhaps too defensive here.

But the change in direction is clear.

If the standalone DLC model worked, then why offer the Seasonal Pass? Is it out of the goodness of their heart to give out a 20% discount? I'm not so naive.

 

[Me_]

I have mixed feelings about this. First is that FOMO of not getting a machine portrait if the whole set is not bought - they are the smallest group, so this feels more painful than e.g. not getting that arachnid portrait of the collector's edition. Another is the fact that we are getting a DLC about a feature that is already in the game (storms) and has never been very interesting - is it really going to be interesting now. On the other hand, a new crisis and more space fauna is something that I wanted for a long time. Then there's the mess that getting the Victoria 3 edition with DLC pass - I've been waiting forever to actually get the stuff I had already paid for.

 

[Beauty Nova]

I'm a bit confused. If we get the season 8 thing, are we basically pre-ordering this year's DLC?

Is Rick the Cube available any other way? Will the season thing be pulled from stores at any point?